Theo Travis has released a new video for his cover of David Sylvian's Brilliant Trees, which features Big Big Train's David Longdon on vocals. You can watch the video in full below.
The song is taken from Travis' upcoming album, Songs From The Apricot Tree, which is released through his own Ethersounds label on June 1. Brilliant Trees will be released as a single on Spotify/iTunes on 24 May.
"I wanted to record Brilliant Trees because I think it is a very special song and it resonates with me for various different reasons. It was wonderful to tour with David Sylvian on his The World Is Everything tour in 2007 and the song was an important part of the set. I played the solo part on alto flute, but we didn’t play the extended instrumental ending that is on the original. I love that long and dreamy instrumental end section with the other worldly sound of Jon Hassel’s trumpet, the ethereal atmospheres and the light and offbeat layers of percussion.
"It seems like a perfect musical landscape for the duduk to solo over, and I felt I had something personal to say there, musically speaking. I think for me that is actually the heart of the song and is why it is on this album. I also like the rather mystical and vulnerable lyrics that I think convey a sense of loss but also wonder and beauty. There is much power in its ‘leading my life back to the soil‘ line.
"David Longdon is a wonderful singer with a very rich vocal tone and who really delivers a lyric with all his heart and soul. Plus his approach is quite different from David Sylvian’s. So he was the perfect person to sing the song and I was delighted that he agreed to do it. I hope I have kept some of the magical spirit of the song but given it a slightly different flavour."
The new album features guest appearance from King Crimson lead vocalist and guitarist Jakko Jakszykas well as Travis' bandmate from Soft Machine guitarist John Etheridge.
Pre-order Songs From The Apricot Tree.
